One of the pioneering personalities of the first decade of Scottish football was Joseph (Joe) Taylor, who played in the first​ six Scotland internationals and won the first three Scottish Cups with Queen's Park. His life was sadly cut short at the age of just 37,
   I have written before about his exploits, but what really brings a story to life is a family connection. Therefore I was delighted to be contacted by his great grandson Colin Taylor, who recently sent me these fantastic photos. This is the gold medal won when Joe  captained Queen's Park to victory in the 1876 cup final, when Third Lanark were beaten in a replay.
   Although this is not the oldest winner's medal in existence - the Scottish Football Museum has JJ Thomson's silver medal from 1874 - it does bear witness to the rapid growth of the game in Scotland, being made of gold and with the Scottish FA's new crest engraved on the front.

What is more, the family also retains the superb gold watch which was presented to him when he married. It reads: 'Presented to Mr Joseph Taylor on the occasion of his marriage by the members of the Queen's Park Football Club in token of their appreciate of his valuable service and of their best wishes for his future happiness. Glasgow, 24th September 1879'. Around 80 club members dined in the St Enoch Restaurant to mark the occasion. ​Joe married Agnes Miller and they had four sons (one of whom, John Benjamin Taylor, would go on to play for Queen's Park as well).

Born in 1850 in Dunoon, where he gained a reputation as a sprinter in local sports meetings, Joe Taylor came to Glasgow for work and, like many young athletes from out of town, joined Queen's Park in 1870. He soon established himself in the team and played a key role at full back on many high profile occasions. At a time when the emphasis was very much on attack, he added a new dimension to football by specialising in defence: 'Considering his light weight, he was a fine tackler, returned very smartly to his forwards, and possessed remarkable speed.'
   Notably, he travelled to London in March 1872 to play against Wanderers in the FA Cup semi-final, when Queen's Park shocked the football establishment by holding the hosts to a 0-0 draw. He played in the first international later that year, and went on to captain Scotland against England in 1875 and 1876, in addition to his club successes. 
   He gave up playing football in 1877 but remained closely involved with Queen's Park and was elected club President for 1878/79. He worked as a clerk for a drapery wholesaler and all was well until 1885 when he was struck down by the first signs of tuberculosis. He went to New Zealand for six months to try and clear his lungs with sea air, which worked for a time but in the days before antibiotics it was really only a matter of time before he succumbed. He died in October 1888 at his home in Victoria Terrace, close to Hampden Park, and laid to rest in Cathcart Cemetery, where you can still see his memorial. 
   After he died, Joe Taylor's obituary in the Glasgow Herald left no doubts about his standing: 'To the older school of players and followers of the game, that gentleman was known as the embodiment of everything that was best, purest and most manly in a football player.' 
   He was held in such high regard that Queen’s Park played a benefit match against Third Lanark on 5 January 1889, attracting around 7,000 spectators to Hampden and raising over £100. The club then added £50 to the fund for his family, an enormous sum which assured his sons' future (and meant they would never have to sell his medals).

Taylor's legacy is that he established the template for intelligent and gentlemanly behaviour, on and off the field. When DD Bone chronicled the early years of the game, he wrote: 'No man who captained the Queen's Park was so much respected both on the field and in private life. None hated unfair or rough play more; he could not endure it in a club companion.'  

You can read the stories of all the early internationalists in my book First Elevens.

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UPDATE - APRIL 2024

Joseph Taylor's grave at Cathcart Cemetery has been restored. Check out the story: ​https://www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-history-news-and-blog/scottish-football-pioneer-joseph-taylors-grave-restored